Beaver Creek Christmas

Beaver Creek Christmas

The Kindle Cover for Beaver Creek Christmas

ISBN: 9781095233702

Released 22-4-19

Andrew R Welsh Author Page with all book links.

The Query Letter  

I am pleased to be able to introduce my novel “Beaver Creek Christmas”.  It is a 65,170 word Christmas romance about a widowed Englishman Robin Whittaker and his daughter Holly, who take a holiday in Beaver Creek and Neve Avery, a sergeant in the 10^th Mountain Division, who has taken a post as Manager of The Nordic Center in the resort. 

They bump in to each other on the way and spend the vacation taking part in outdoor and festive activities, getting to know each other further. The relationship blossoms and by the end of the story, Neve accepts Robin’s engagement proposal and he has accepted a job offer at a local high school and plans to move back in the New Year. 

Meanwhile, Neve has engaged Holly to become more outgoing and exuberant and they also grow to care for each other after initial protective behaviour by Holly of her father.

Over the course of the story, Robin becomes more expressive, though the transformation is still incomplete.  He sees an opportunity with Neve helping him, to allow his creativity to blossom, not only as a writer, but as a cook and a wood worker.

Neve, like the others, allows herself after many years to let love into her life, as well as seeing the possibility of change beyond that that she had already decided on when leaving the army to become the outdoor activity manager.

The "blurb" from the back of the paperback

Robin Whittaker and his daughter Holly, decide to take a holiday in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Meanwhile, Neve Avery, a sergeant in the 10th Mountain Division is leaving the US Army to take up a post as Manager of The Nordic Center at the resort.  They bump in to each other on the way and spend the vacation taking part in outdoor and festive activities, getting to know each other further. A relationship develops as shy Robin slowly is drawn out of his shell, through various family Christmas traditions.

The Synopsis

Robin Whittaker and his daughter leave England at about the same time as Neve Avery is leaving Kuwait.  They both fly via Amsterdam where they bump into each other and then again in Denver they meet accidentally again before sharing transport to Beaver Creek.

En route they discover a shared appreciation of the music of Michael Bublé and as the Whittakers are dropped at the hotel, they find out that Neve’s Aunt Judith is the concierge at the hotel. 

Neve continues her journey to Camp Hale to finalise her discharge papers and returns the next day (22^nd December) to assist on a nature snowshoe trail activity as a way of saying thank you for the lift the previous night.

Robin and Holly have various planned activities for their Christmas week vacation which was intended to get them out of a rut in England and for them both, but Holly mainly, to experience a really snowy Christmas.

After the nature trail, they spend time in the Candy Cabin and in the evening Robin and Holly return the favour with a meal for Neve at a hearthside grill in the hotel.  They get to know each other further.

On the 23^rd, Neve is shown around her new work place by the previous manager Hurit, while Holly and Robin go cross-country skiing with the same member of staff Ross, who took them out the previous day.  They enjoy sausages at a mountain grill at the end of the skiing.  In the afternoon Robin shows off his hot chocolate making skills with Neve (and Judith) at the log house Neve inherited from her parents, just to the north of the village and choose a tree in the afternoon.  There, Robin cuts his hand and they get a ride to the Emergency Room in Hurit’s husband (Sheriff’s Deputy) Berry Jackson’s cruiser.

In the evening, after some time at the hotel’s pool and hot tub to relax, Robin, Neve and Holly meet Hurit at the local theatre to catch a performance of A Christmas Carol and Robin is introduced to a superintendent and an assistant principal from the local high school, who think he could be what they need as a substitute teacher with a speciality in science.

Robin shows off some poor cookie decorating skills on Monday 24th, before he takes a phone call at Neve’s house in the barn, that is his interview for the substitute teacher job.  In the evening, he and Neve go, with Holly, to the skating rink to meet up with some of the some teachers and students prior to every heading off to the high school Snow Ball.  At the rink Holly makes friend with some middle schoolers who have older siblings at the high school Robin will attend.  Robin excels himself with some dancing at the Snow Ball and is greeted by the students with enthusiasm.

On Christmas day, Neve arises first in her house and opens a few presents.  Holly and Robin sleep in accidentally and have to be rushed around to Neve’s by taxi.  They receive and give gifts and using their new snowshoes, Holly and Robin go with Neve on a hike up towards the Candy Cabin before heading back down on the ski lift to the hotel.  On the walk, Robin loses the engagement rings, earrings and other pieces of jewellery he was planning to give to Neve.  Holly finds these on the way as Robin loses them and so saves the day.

In the late afternoon on Christmas Day, Judith takes the trio to her house for a large meal and to meet her family of husband John, son and chef Nathan and his wife, Vanessa and daughter, Scout who is also Holly’s age (10).  The two young girls get on well and play with the family’ rescue dog, Star.

Returning to the Hotel, a squally blizzard whips up which calls into question the suitability of Robin’s choice of final activity he has set up - the sleigh ride at about 9pm in the evening.  Luckily the weather breaks and a perfect layer of snow is left for the ride around the village.

Back up in the hotel room, Robin finally gets the opportunity to propose, Neve accepts, they have their big kiss, before they all settle down to watch a film from a Christmas movie marathon.

New Novel MS completed - Beaver Creek Christmas

I have completed the new novel.  Dispatched it to Hallmark Publishing for their unagented submission month of February.  I followed the guidelines and, in spite of sickness in January, got it submitted three days before the end of Feb. deadline.

Now all I'm doing is doing another edit while I wait.  Apparently I'll find out by the start of May whether they will pursue it as a book.

C

I had been watching a lot of Hallmark Christmas movies with my wife and it was her challenge to me in October, when she saw about the February submissions, to write a Christmas romantic novel.
I actually think it turned out rather well.

Other cover ideas include:

B

A

Any preferences?

Bonfire Night

The books that need to be in paperback are now in that format. It's been a long time since Fishing Trip came out in ebook form, but it has been with the wait for the colour plates.
The nice thing is that the Amazon publishing is truly a free service. Printing on demand seems so sensible. There's no wastage and books unsold being buried or sold at some discount store just to offload them.
The next novel is in the process of being written. It's a romantic novel. Well, that's the plan. I'm trying to adhere to the guidelines of the Hallmark channel and publishing house, which should be a feel-good book that anyone can read without offence.
The idea is to have it ready for submission in February.  If it doesn't get accepted then it can be reworked and relaunched with all the bile added that is being pent up without a pirate story to vent it into.
I'm not sure I want to do another pirate story. I thought that Protective Craft was ended permanently.
The Amazon paperback route is nice if there are colour plates inside. I may redo Teaching Overseas with them after I leave Kuwait and do another update.  The world of teaching and working around the Middle East has changed rapidly in recent years, and I'm not sure if education itself doesn't need a complete overhaul to fit with the modern world.
That sounds like the rant deserving of the bile building up.
And so, gentle reader, what has this all got to do with Bonfire Night?
Not much, apart from the date of writing, and the desire to throw things on to a bonfire, but as it's chucking it down with rain, it wouldn't burn anyway.  There is some lightning to make up for the lack of fireworks, but that's it.

Protective Craft - Synopsis and Excerpt

Protective Craft - The Lost Diaries of Richard Buchanan 

Volume Two

ISBN 9781781766576

Publisher FeedARead

http://www.amazon.com/Protective-Craft-Andrew-R-Welsh/dp/1781766576

Now with a 5-Star review on Amazon.co.uk

• Top 100 Free in Kindle Store
  • #41 in Kindle Store > Books > Literature & Fiction > Horror > Occult
  • #229 in Kindle Store > Books > Romance > Historical Romance

(as of 29 July 2017)

Synopsis

The Commodore's adventure continues, in this, the follow-up to "Any Means to an End".  He must return to the New World, where surprises abound, and loyalties are stretched to breaking, while an abandoned love resurfaces to change everything .....

Excerpt

Friday 9th July 1680

The three ships stood proud by the north side of what according to the charts, could be Ocracoke Island.  We certainly seemed, in the light of day, to be on one of the barrier islands off the coast of the mainland.  Longboats were launched and parties landed to explore the island. These were led by Tyrell, Longbottom and myself from the Retribution, each taking three marines and three gunners.  One group, led by Longbottom was to stay with the longboats, and the other two groups were to head in opposite directions around the island to see what could be seen, note it down and report back.  Dauntless was sent north to find the mainland and get some repairs done using native forest wood.
Sails on the frigates were patched by the crews remaining on board, but since there was just sand dune and thick grass on the islands, it was just as well they had no damaged masts or spars.
The exploration continued for several hours.  The southern team under Tyrell, after finding the end of the island, looped back on the ocean coast and then cut back across the island.  There, they assisted Longbottom in his fishing and cooking efforts.
My team had progressed northwards and eventually walked along the central dunes to view both sides of this long sand bar.
With me I had Tranter, Buttons and Fish along with the marines Staithes, Lord and Waltham. These were all from the original expedition last autumn to the Caribbean.  As we walked in the sand and sharp grasses the sailors began to talk.
“If this is part of Virginia, why can’t we see evidence of any colonists Sir?” Buttons led the questions.
“I can only suppose that movement beyond James Towne is very difficult.  The land is occupied by natives who, like most people, get upset when someone comes along and squats on their land.  Put it this way, if the Swedish king decided that after an explorer landed on an empty piece of Northumberland coast that the land was Terra Incognita, it would therefore be available for claim by Sweden.  The locals might be a little upset later when a Swedish fleet arrived and deposited enough people and materials to build a complete town with fort and stockade.  Then, to top off the insult they found they haven’t quite brought enough of the right materials or food and then went to the locals and demanded that they help them survive until the next fleet arrives.  This fleet then arrives and deposits troops and weapons to destroy the locals and expand the settlement further.”
Fish piped up, “I see your point Sir, but aren’t the locals here savages.”
‘If you have someone break into your bedroom in the night and try to rob you, wouldn’t your behaviour become savage, especially if they wouldn’t leave?  More to the point, who told us that they were savages?  Only the very people who wish us to put our lives in danger so that their company can make a profit as they sit back in safe houses in England, most probably in London or big manors on large estates.”
‘But Sir,” pressed Lord, “Some of the people in Virginia are indentured servants who will get land for themselves at the end of their service.  Isn’t that worth coming for?”
“Think about it, Lord.  In this heat in the summer months and the bitter cold we had described to us back in James Towne, who are the masters going to send out to do the work and fight off any Indian raids?  The indentured labourers.  They are the ones who will die off first, well before anyone has to worry about which parcel of land they are to receive.”
I continued to ram the point home to my audience.  “Think about this.  We have been to James Towne and we will visit Charles Towne.  The colonies are called Virginia and Carolina.  It is all about kingship and power.  These aren’t set up for the benefit of the common man.  It’s about royalty allowing a company to make money with a slice going to the crown.  We as agent of the crown have to back that support up with force if need be.  I wouldn’t mind if the crown had asked the natives for an agent to be placed in a tribe to organise goods for ships to arrive, do some trading and then leave, just like the merchants do in the Baltic and other ports around Europe.  But not here.  The Spanish and Portuguese set the precedent by getting the Pope to allow the carving up of the world between them and then everyone else had played catch-up slowly and turned on whatever is left.  We missed an opportunity, lads, in the forties and fifties to have a true change in society where land belonged to all and every man had a say in how the country was run.  In England, the problem is that those in power are greedy whether they be Lord Protectors or sovereigns.  They all want to keep what they have and take more, and it’s always at someone else’s expense.”
“But you have a farm, a shipping company and are paid by the crown sir!”
“I know!”  I admitted.  “I am a vested interest, and I too intend to hold on to what I have got.  If we stay together we’ll try to get some more to line our pockets with too!” I laughed.  “I at least will try to bring some wealth to those with me.”
My decision to go back to the ship along the ocean coast was made after seeing more dark clouds on the southern horizon.  The group finally returned to the ships as the sun was setting.  This was only after agreeing on a sketch map of the island and approximate distances.
On board the Retribution, Crabtree brought in to the cabin a pleasant stew made from the fish Longbottom had caught with his team off the island beach earlier in the day.
“I think you will enjoy this soup Sir.  I think that the flatfish used in making it is similar in flavour to a flounder from our shores.”
“Let us hope it didn’t follow the ship all the way over here, because it would have become rather tired!”

Saturday 10th July 1680
I awoke still anchored off Ocracoke.  The dawn broke a fiery red with high clouds glowing as if they were burning.  Dauntless appeared from over the other side of Pamlico Sound and Master Christian Johnson sent the signal that repairs had been made and they were ready to proceed.
The Kent and Retribution began to pick their routes carefully out of the sound, towards the break in the offshore sand bars.
The ships all sallied forth through the gap in the barrier islands (to the east of the smaller islands) before heading south again.
The sun continued to shine brightly and fry those on deck.  I spoke to Longbottom.  ‘I think we should reduce the length of time the men are on deck in this heat.  They seem to be wilting rapidly!”
“You may be right Sir, however, you may change you mind if you go below deck.  I would prefer to be up on top.”
“Point taken Fred.  I shall leave things as they are.”  The breeze was quite cooling in the open and there was the occasional splash of spray that cooled those on deck.  I did go below to the lower gun deck and it was stiflingly hot down there.

Sunday 11th July 1680

Following the barrier islands south to Cape Lookout, Captain Joshua Bibb of the Kent was the first to steer west again to follow the coast and more offshore islands that go all the way along this coast.
I was not happy about that, I decide where this flotilla goes.  I will let the action go for now, but note it for use later.
Dauntless followed and Retribution brought up the rear.  At eleven o’clock the ships moved close enough to shore to anchor and raise the church pennants.
Afterwards, the ships’ boats took those who wanted, to the beach for swimming, washing of clothes and a hunting party set forth into the dunes to get some seabirds.
I went with Crabtree in the gig with a couple of rods and line to do some angling between the ships and the shore.
“Tell me Sir, if you don’t mind, why we are heading further south.  I thought that the colonies were in the north.”
“Mostly they are. The latest one is Carolina, which we are probably in now.  I know I can trust you to keep this to yourself.  We are heading to Charles Towne next.  That is the main settlement in Carolina at the moment.  Along with that large section of this new world,” I motioned towards the land, “The new owners, for that is what they are, also hold the title to some abandoned Spanish lands the Islas Lucaya, that are also called the Bahamas.  It seems that the Spanish removed all of the native Lucayans from those islands for slavery or by disease and, as they were pretty well useless for farming, left them devoid of inhabitants.  It seems that a few people have moved in from England and the colonies and have set themselves up there.”
“And we go to claim it for England?”
“Not quite.  We go to enforce the will of the Lords Proprietor of Carolina who have been given title to the islands by King Charles.  That was nice of him wasn’t it?”
“Indeed it was Sir.  It must be nice to be a friend of a king.  Do they have an assembly to run their affairs like in Virginia?”
“Again, not quite.  You need to remember we’re talking about Stuart kings here.  They, the Lords Proprietor have been given what Charles himself hasn’t got.  That is to say, a feudal fiefdom.”

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My Kindle Books

Kindle eBooks   UK

 Any Means to an End at Amazon.co.uk
Any Means to an End -The Lost Diaries of Richard Buchanan ISBN: 9781781760048

5-Star Review of Any Means to an End

Diaries are uncovered detailing the life and times of Richard Buchanan. He is an English Navy officer leading a gang of sailors through the blue water Caribbean to the grey of the Baltic. They wreak havoc on enemy shipping, pirates and those who act outside the law. Donating their prizes to the Crown they are welcomed back to the fold and entrusted with more missions. Finding intrigue, murder and romance along the way, will Richard ever settle down in his beloved South Shields?

Protective Craft at Amazon Kindle
Protective Craft - The Lost Diaries of Richard Buchanan (Volume 2)
The Commodore's adventure continues, in this, the follow-up to "Any Means to an End".  He must return to the New World, where surprises abound, and loyalties are stretched to breaking, while an abandoned love resurfaces to change everything ....

 White Sands, Green Trees at Amazon.co.uk

White Sands, Green Trees is only available at Amazon.co.uk - It is a humorous description of my travels and adventures around the Philippines and Malaysia during 1996-98.

Teaching Overseas a Short Guide now on Kindle.  

 This has to be an essential for anyone thinking about or currently teaching overseas.  Written by a teacher and educational consultant with 17 years experience overseas in Europe, Africa and across Asia, there's not much that isn't covered.  This book could save you heartache and money."

Literary Contest Prize references 

The Rosetta Press and also here

FrontRowLit Magazine article for Any Means to an End
FrontRowLit Magazine article for White Sands, Green Trees
FrontRowLit Magazine article for Teaching Overseas - A Short Guide